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Inferno Ibex
The inferno ibex (Capra ignis) is a species of mountain goat that lives in the northwestern mountain region of the DSRRed. It has a russet coat that becomes thicker during the winter. It is known for its horns. Its horns are very hard, so when it strikes them against flint surfaces, it strikes sparks. Sometimes, this causes the horns to temporarily catch fire. ' ' Appearance The inferno ibex has a russet coat that is thin in the summer months and thick in the winter months. Males typically have a maroon beard. It is not uncommon in the species for some inferno ibexes to have a split tail, though not all do have a split tail. Males are much larger than females. Males range from 1.4 to 1.8 sextants tall (foot to shoulder). Females typically range from 1.1 to 1.5 sextants tall. The horns of the male are very long, measuring an average of 2 sextants, though some are up to 2.5 sextants long. The female’s horns are on average 0.5 sextants long. The curved horns of the goats sometimes strike flint, causing a temporary fire on the horns. This makes the goats very easy to distinguish. The horns have a soft rose color. Since the horns are very durable and appealing, they are often used in luxury decorations, such as doorknobs. The horns are also used in the keys of musical instruments. The ease of identification of the inferno ibex has lead to significant poaching. Because of this, the inferno ibex is endangered. ' ' Reproduction The mating season runs from late autumn, around October, to around February. Females are more common than males, so there is a great amount of competition for reproduction. To court a female, the males will try to assert dominance, either through feats of strength or through fighting. The inferno ibexes typically reproduce around 2 years of age. It takes about 6 months until a baby is born. Most cases involve only one kid being born, though there have been instances of twins. ' ' Behavior Inferno ibexes typically eats grasses and herbs. Sometimes they eat the needles of trees which grow at lower altitudes. The ibexes also get nutrients from mineral licks. Animals such as foxes and bears prey on the ibexes. Various wild cats may eat young ibexes. Herds consist of about a dozen individuals and there are both single-sex and mixed-sex herds. Males are more aggressive than females, so their horns are more likely to be lit on fire. When this happens, their horns may cause temporary fires. They are accustomed to the heat and can tolerate the fires for long periods of time. Sometimes, when it is very cold, they will intentionally begin a fire. When the uses of their horns were first discovered by humans, it was recorded that the ibexes would use their burning horns to set their coat on fire. Humans could not kill the ibexes with their weapons. Ibexes are very rarely seen using this technique on their natural predators because their predators are much faster than humans, so the ibexes do not have time to start a fire. The coat burns very slowly, so the ibexes were able to survive. Since the invention of firearms, however, the ibexes have not been able to protect themselves, so it is very rare to see the coat of the inferno ibex on fire. This is the origin of the phrase “''common as an ablaze goat coat,''” used for situations that were once common, but are now nearly unheard of. The horns are still common to see on fire, and the fire may sometimes be used to keep the ibex warm. Habitat and Distribution The ibexes are mainly located in the northwestern mountainous region of the DSRR. They descend during the winter months to lower altitudes. The goat is able to tolerate cold weather at high altitudes so some herds choose not to descend. Most of the year, they live above the treeline. Most sightings occur during the summer months at high altitudes. Since the mountainous region of the DSRR has few people, there is little non-hunting interaction with humans. Category:Flora and Fauna